Tourism Ministry bans discrimination at beaches

May 18, 2012, by Annie Slemrod, The Daily Star

BEIRUT: The Tourism Ministry has opened the summer beach season by banning resorts from discriminating on the basis of race, nationality or disability, but reports of bias in entry policies persist and some owners appear unwilling to conform to the new regulations. The issue of racism at Lebanon’s popular beach clubs is not new.

In 2010, the activist group Anti-Racism Movement caused a stir with a video that showed a black woman being denied entry to Beirut’s Sporting Club. This week,

Amel Association Alerts for Exploitation of Migrant Women

Below are a few quotes from Zeina Mohanna, Amel's coordinator of the project for the defense of migrant women in Lebanon. These come in an interview with Mohanna last week while in Italy, to attend, along with a delegation of Egyptian, Jordanian and Lebanese social workers, a conference studying a system providing protection and assistance for migrants and enabling the fight against human trafficking in her country. The name of the conference is, "The Mediterranean, a sea of slaves".

"These women access the country through a so-called sponsorship. They are registered under the sponsorship of their employer or someone else in the family. And then, their identity documents are automatically seized."

''We are fighting in order to allow these women to enter Lebanon through a visa and a regular working permit. We want to prevent them from becoming the property of their employer. We are asking for them to be protected either by a specific law regulating their work and their rights or by ordinary labour legislation, just as any other worker. Part of our work consists of raising awareness of both Lebanese citizens and migrant women, making them understand their rights and inviting them to ask for help to people who can support them. We work with Caritas, Un ponte per.. and other organizations."

"We are here to learn best practices implemented in Italy and to study how to organise the "shelters" (reception centres for first aid of women needing assistance and subjected to mistreatment, e.n).

Full article can be accessed on ANSAmed.